We lost
by Ennesia
Summary: The firenation won, the avatar is gone, katara, sokka and toph are on the run, will the find they avatar or has the firenation won for good?   So-.. I'd advise to keep reading just past the first chapters.. I really use this story as more of a showcase to how i evolve my grammar and my way of writing
1. The loss

We lost… Or did we

"Water.. Earth.. Fire.. Air..  
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them but when the world needed him most, he vanished.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of avatar the last airbender.

Katara's Pov

"Everybody has lost hope and now I'm losing it to, me and my brother sokka, have been looking for the new avatar but we failed, we have never seen him. And now it's too late almost a year ago the fire nation took it all and we lost…" I said holding myself tight to keep myself warm,

My brother and I ran away from the water tribe when the fire nation attacked and it was there I realized we had lost… but we did meet a blind earthbender, named toph bei fong or toph.

"Katara we need to keep moving" sokka said placing an arm on my shoulder.

"Your right sokka" I said trying to stand up after sitting an hour and a half.

"Where we going this time" toph asked Curious.

"I don't know toph remember we are on the run from the fire nation, so we have to keep moving" I said trying to calm,

"HEY I got an idea" sokka yelled of excitement

"Oh what now sokka?" toph like she didn't care.

"Why don't we try to get to the southern airtemple?" sokka said still excited.

"Hey that's not a bad idea sokka" I said to my proud brother.

Then we sat of the southern airtemple which was not long from where we were.

After a few long hours of traveling, we stopped to set up camp, we just took a few hours sleep, because we were In fire nation land.

When we finally reached the temple we had trouble getting up,

"Toph?" I asked her.

"Whats up sugar queen" she asked Curious.

"Can't you earthbend us to the top?" I asked her,

"Sure can sugar queen" she said, then she made a move, so a stone came up from the ground, it was like an elevator.

We reached the top, when got up and we started to set up camp.

"I'm gonna look around okay" I said looking at my brother and toph.

"Okay we're just gonna stay here setting up camp all by us self" sokka said like he was trying to get me to stay and help with camp.

"Okay thanks see you in a bit" I said running off.

"I… oh forget it" sokka said to himself.

As I was exploring I was looking I all the rooms, they didn't seemed like much, but there were one room that was interesting, the room had paintings of the avatar, avatar ruko and avatar kyoshi, but there was another painting of a boy, an airbender.

"The avatar of this century" I gasped "so there IS an avatar left I must tell the others". I said happily,

I ran out of the temple as fast as I could,

"SOKKA…TOPH…" I yelled out.

"Wow katara… katara slow down what is it" sokka asked nervously.

"there… there is one… one avatar left I… just saw a…painting" I said trying to catch my breath.

"Katara what are you taking about the avatar" he said sighing.

"Yeah katara what the hell are you taking about" toph said looking at me like I was crazy.

Maybe I was crazy but this was my last hope I have to fight for it.

"I'm NOT crazy it real please come with me I'll show you" I said almost crying but I didn't know why.

"sigh okay katara then show us" sokka said like he didn't care.

We went into that room with the paintings,

"Wow…" sokka said like he was about to fall back

"Hmm what do you there is a room with paintings but no… avatar hmm that strange huh katara huh" toph said annoying.

"Shut up toph, look there is a painting that shows there is an avatar of this century" I said trying to convince my friends.

"Katara even IF there is an avatar he is too late…" sokka said sad.

"NO ITS NEVER TOO LATE I WONT BELIEVE ITS TOO LATE" he screamed back at my silent brother.

"KATARA FACE IT WE LOST, WE LOST THEY WON, NO AVATAR NO NOTHING", this was the first time sokka yelled back at me, I was completely stunned when he started crying,

"Sokka I…" I was cut off

"Don't you think you are the ONLY one in pain but NEWSFLAHS YOUR NOT" he yelled angry.

"Sokka that's not true" I answered still stunned by my brothers reaction.

"Oh really I've never heard you say anything about me, when you talk about mom you always talk about your sadness and only YOURS NOT MINE NOT DAD, YOURS KATARA GET IT, but I doesn't matter now do it" he said and yelled still half crying.

"Oh my god sokka your right" I said totally chocked.

"It doesn't matter know I'm going to sleep" sokka said still very upset,

I sat down on the floor, it was late I was about to go to sleep when I saw a stature of the boy I had seen on the painting. I touched it, I felt it upper lip, and I noticed that it was breathing,

"What the…" I said to myself, "I had to get toph" I ran down stairs,

"Toph… toph wake up" I said to the sleeping earthbender.

"Urh not know five more minutes mom" the blind earthbender said in her sleep,

"Toph you gotta wake up come on please" I said again.

"Okay okay… fine I'm coming" toph said cranky. "What is it sugar queen".

"You got to help someone is trapped in a stone stature" I said.

"Okay let's go" toph said fast.

We ran to the stature toph cracked it open, and I was right there was a boy trapped inside, he not awake but alive…

So this was the first chapter of this story, I'm gonna make more as soon as possible please R&R hope you enjoyed;D


	2. Hope

We lost…

Chapter 2, Hope

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar the last airbender.

"Water.. Earth.. Fire.. Air..  
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he still has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world..."...

Katara's Pov

As I looked at the boy me and toph found in the stature, hope returned because I knew he was the avatar, I mean this was the boy on the painting, it had to be him,

Toph and I went down stairs. I laded the boy down I my sleeping bag,

The next day as sokka and toph got up from their sleep,

"Morning everybody" I said to my brother and toph.

"Katara when did you go to bed?" sokka asked still half asleep.

"Never" I answered quickly.

"Dam sugar queen, what have you been doing that is so important that I kept you from going to bed?" toph asked also half asleep.

"Watching the new member of our little team" I said happy.

"New what…" sokka asked curious.

"New member" I answered straight.

"Okay… and who's that?" sokka asked now fully awake.

"This little fella" I said pointing at the sleeping boy.

"Hmm and whats he name?" sokka asked skeptic.

"I donno, I found him in a stature" I answered my brother.

"Ugh… ugh" the boy sounded.

"Shh… he's waking up" I said excited.

As the boy woke up I got more and more excited, now the boy was awake as he began to sit up, he was now sitting up and looked at us, we where all staring at him.

"Um… hallo" he said nervously.

"HELLO" I yelled that made him pull back from us. "Oh I'm sorry for that" I said embarest.

"Hello…" he said again.

"Hey I'm sokka and that is toph and katara" sokka said pointing at me and toph

"Hallo my name is aang" he said still a bit nervous.

"Are you… an airbender?" I asked excited.

"Um… yes I am" he answered still.

"Wow so are you the avatar?" I kept asking.

"What me? The avatar? No" he said more nervous.

Toph couldn't really tell if he was lying, because he was like hovering over the ground.

"Hey twinkle toes could you stand on the ground where I can see you" toph said annoyed that she couldn't feel him.

"What you can see me I'm right here" aang answered,

"HELLO I'M BLIND! CANT YOU SEE MY EYES ARE GRAY HUH…HUH" toph yelled angry,

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't notice you don't look like you are blind you look like someone who can see the way you walk" he said calmly.

Toph blushed by his comment, "Thank you twinkles" she said as the voice became softer,

"Okay I'll get on the ground for you" he said softly,

"Good" toph answered straight, as he got on the ground toph could still not really feel him, I must be something airbenders can she said to herself.

"So if your not the avatar then who is?" I asked disappointed,

"The avatar died when the fire nation killed off the air nomads" aang said still,

"What the legend says that the avatar is the last airbender and you are an airbender" I yelled angry,

"I KNOW THE LEGEND KATARA AND I AM NOT THE AVATAR HE'S DEAD!" aang shouted back at me,

"I don't believe you" I said quite,

"Okay believe what you want but I'm not the avatar" aang said now calm,

"I know you are the avatar just look at your tattoos" I said pointing at aang's tattoos,

"The tattoos are airbender tattoos nothing more than that now can we move on get passed by this avatar talk" he said tried,

"Yes we can for now but this isn't over" I said not believing what I was hearing, I need some proof I thought to myself

The next day we took off and left the temple,

As we walked I kept looking at aang,

"I know he's the avatar he has to be, I mean he is an airbender and the last one" I thought to myself.

"So sokka where are we going?" aang asked curious,

"Hmm I don't know yet got any ideas?" my brother answered,

"How about omashu?" aang said,

"We can't go to omashu aang" sokka said with a sad voice,

"Why not?" aang asked curious,

"Your kidding me right?" sokka said looking at aang with a strange look,

"No what do you mean sokka?" aang said innocent,

"So you don't know?" sokka said quite,

"Know what?" aang asked again,

"That the world have been taking over by the fire nation" sokka said sad,

"WHAT WHEN!" aang yelled of surprise

"Almost a year ago now" sokka said still sad

"I…I can't believe it" aang said falling to his knees,

"I'm sorry aang" I said placing my hand on his shoulder,

"It's not you fault katara" aang said very sad,

"Aang is there something on your mind?" I said trying to get him to confess he was the avatar,

"No I don't" he said dry,

"We need to keep moving" sokka said,

"Where?" aang asked angry,

"I don't know aang" sokka said still,

"I know a place" toph said,

"Where's that toph" I asked curious,

"It's an old family hideout that my uncle told me about" toph said happy,

"Cool let's go" sokka said also happy,

"What's the point" aang said sad,

"Come aang don't lose hope" I katara comforting,

"your right katara" aang said getting up,

After we traveled a few hours I look up in the sky I saw something, it was coming straight at us,

"RUN" I yelled to the others,

"WHAT! IS IT THE FIRE NATION" sokka yelled back,

"NO ITS APPA" aang yelled happy,

"Who?" I asked nervously,

The big 10 ton heavy animal landed right in front of us, aang jumped on it,

"Woo hoo look everybody he's back!" aang yelled again even happier,

"Eh who's that aang?" I asked really nervous,

"This is appa my flying bison we got separated when the fire nation attacked" aang said still happy,

"Flying bison?" sokka asked skeptic,

"Yeah come on up" aang said smiling, we all got on appa and aang said some words.

"YIP YIP" he yelled to appa,

"Wha…" I was cut up because appa was flying,

"Holy moly where are we?" toph asked nervous because she couldn't see,

"We're in the air toph" aang said calm,

"Well with this big guy we can travel faster" sokka said also happy,

"Much faster" aang added,

Ahh there we go they got appa got you worried there didn't ya

Please review

chao for now and HAPPY READING;D


	3. The avatar

**We lost **

**Chapter**** 3, The Avatar**

Katara's Pov

As we got on appa (who just came out of no were), I thought about what aang said, that he wasn't the avatar? But how couldn't he, I mean he had the tattoos and he was an airbender so he had to be. I looked around me and aang was the only one awake, the others had fallen asleep almost immediately.

"Katara?" aang said not turning around

"Yes? I asked.

"Remember when you asked me if I was the avatar" he paused.

"Yeah?" I asked more eager to hear what he had to say.

"I lied, I am the avatar" he whispered.

"I KNEW IT!" I practically yelled.

"Shh… keep it down" he said not wanting to wake up the others.

"But why didn't you just say that you were the avatar from the start?" I asked lowering my voice.

"Because…. Because I didn't want to be the avatar!" he said firm.

"Why didn't you want to be the avatar?" I kept asking.

"Because they told me that I could never have a normal life and they would sent me away from my friends" he said with a tear in his eye, his eyes glowed for a second and there came a powerful wind but then he relaxed as katara put her hands around him.

"Aang calm down… its okay" I said holding him "It's okay…"

"We should land" he said drying his tears.

He landed appa on a little field in the woods. He got down and started to set up tents, I helped him.

We made a campfire and sat down by it.

"Aang do you know how long you've been inside that statue?" I asked him.

"Uh I'm not sure but… I think maybe a couple of days" he said putting his hand on his bald head.

"Um aang I think it was more like a 100 years" he said looking straight at him.

"WHAT!" he yelled.

"Yeah I mean the war…" I was cut off by his yell.

"THE WAR!"

He looked down and started shaking "there's a war going on" he muttered, he got up and ran into the woods.

"AANG!" I call out as I started to run after him.

I found him minutes later sitting on the edge of a cliff crying.

"Aang it's not your fault" I said sitting down next to him.

"Of cause it's my fault, I ran away I abandon everybody!" he said loudly.

"Aang really it's not your fault **really**" I said trying to calm him down.

"Katara I'm the avatar and just ran away!" he said.

"You didn't run away, you sealed yourself in a statue ha…uh.. Um" I said trying to be funny.

"That's not funny katara" he said looking out in the horizon.

"I'm sorry aang"

"Stupid… Stupid why did I say that" I thought to myself.

-Silence-

"You should get some sleep katara" he said breaking the silence.

"Yeah… so should you" I said lying down.

Aang didn't answer.

**Aang's Flashback:**

"**Aang where are you going?"**

"**Leave me alone Gyatso I don't want to talk right!"**

"**Aang I won't let them send you away"**

"**You can't really do anything about that can you? It's already been decided"**

"**Yes I can… take this"**

"**What is this?"**

"**Take it and walk down the corridor, when you get to the statues of the other avatar and say… Statua"**

"**Why?" **

"**Just say it… trust me"**

**End of flashback.**

"Aang" I said.

"Wh..What" he said snapping out of his flashback, he sat with dried tears and red eyes.

"Aang you should get some sleep" I said getting up.

"Maybe it would be a better idea to get back to camp instead of sleeping here like you have while I've been sitting here" he said half smiling.

I blushed because I've totally forgotten that we were still on the Clift.

"Yeah that might be a good Idea hehe" I said blushing even harder.

So we got and started to walk back to camp, the sun was beginning to rise and morning was over us.

When we got back sokka and toph was already awake.

Sokka was standing ready to yell at her asking her where she had been until he saw aang beside her with still red eyes.

"Hey aang are you okay?" he asked more concerned than angry.

"Yeah I'm fine" he said. Sokka didn't say more to that but sat down next to toph who was preparing breakfast.

"It's done, I made my first ball of breakfast" toph said proud.

"Wow toph it's delicious" aang said smiling "what did you put in it"

"Fish lever" she replied smiling.

Everyone started to spit there food out.

"WHAT!" we all yelled expect toph.

"HAHA relax guys I'm only joking" toph said bursting out in laughter.

"That was not funny" sokka said.

"It is to me" she said still laughing.

After breakfast me and sokka went down to the river nearby leaving aang and toph alone.

(No one's Pov)

Toph have had an eye for aang ever since the day she broke him out of that statue. She sat there in Silences just staring at him for like 5 minutes until he broke the Silences.

"Uh is there something wrong toph?" he asked.

"Huh oh nothing" she said snapping back into reality and then turning around blushing.

He looked at her in a way that made her very relaxed and made her smile as well.

"Can… I get you something… Uh a glass of water or some dirt… hehe" aang said nervously.

"No I'm good" she said looking at him again.

After awhile she began to see how aang was being very uncomfortable by her staring. So she started to practice some earthbending even thought it was dangerous, no one was going to keep her from doing what she loved, she thought to herself.

There was a very award silences between the two, right until katara and sokka came back from fishing.

"Hey guys" sokka and katara both said as they came closer.

"Hey did you catch anything?" aang asked sokka.

Sokka was smiling and that meant that he did catch something.

"Oh yeah we got a load of fish" he said.

"Can I make dinner tonight?" toph asked.

"NO!" they all shouted.

"Haha relax guys I'm only joking" she said laughing.

"I'll start preparing dinner" katara said walking to the campfire.

"I'll help" aang said fast running to katara.

"Sooo what are you going to make?" aang asked in bit loud voice.

"I think I'll make a fish stew" she replied.

"Sounds great" aang said happy.

"So what did you and toph do while we were gone?" katara asked.

"Not much… she's been practicing earthbending" aang said walking faster trying to keep up with katara.

"What! She knows that dangerous!" katara said concerned.

"Katara come no one saw it except me" aang said relaxed.

"Yeah but…" she was cut off by aang's laugh, "what are you laughing about" she asked.

"Oh nothing…" he trailed off in his own words.

They reach the campfire and sat down, katara sat a bowl on the fire and poured water in it, when the water was boiling she stopped the fish in the bowl.

"Aang could you tell sokka and toph that we eat in an hour" she said bending the water in the bowl.

"Sure thing katara" he replied and started to walk off.

When he got to the tents he saw sokka sleeping and toph sitting on a rock with her feet up in the air bored to death.

"Hey toph" aang said causally.

She jumped by sound of his voice, "Twinkle toes don't **EVER **do that aang" she said turning around and a smile formed on her lips.

"Sorry if I scarred you" aang apologies.

"It okay… and you didn't scare me" she claimed "soo did you want something twinkles"

"Right katara said to tell you that we eat in about an hour" he said quickly

"Oh…" was all she could say.

"Yeah…. Could you tell sokka?"

"Sure I'll tell him" she had to force words out.

He left shortly after the conversation. She sat down and let out a disappointing sigh.

"Why does he feel so uncomfortable when I'm around, I'm I that bad with boys?" she thought to herself.

He walked back to katara and thought "Why am I so nervous around girls, I'm I that bad?" he thought to himself.

"Done" katara said as he came closer.

"So when do we eat" he asked placing his hand on his stomach.

"In about twenty minutes, it just has to cool down a bit" she said looking at aang.

"_**God she's beautiful, blue eyes, perfect body, long chocolate hair, and tanned…." **_aang's mind started to trail off as he thought of how beautiful katara. But out of nowhere toph joined in he's fantasy

"_**She pretty too, she has beautiful black hair, a face as pale as day but… still beautiful and her grey eyes held something mysterious…." **_Aang was at a loss of words by the girls in his fantasy.

"Aang… (Snaps her fingers) aang?" katara asked as she saw that he was paying attention anymore.

"Huh… what?" he asked katara as he snapped back to reality.

"Dinners ready" she said smiling. "Could you get sokka and toph?"

"Right away" he said spinning around and walking to where toph was sitting.

"Toph?" he said.

"…Yeah?" she asked mad because sokka has said that she liked aang in his sleep.

"Dinners ready" he said smiling.

"Finally! I'm starving!" she replied smiling too.

They both went to where sokka was sleeping. Toph looked at aang with at evil smirk on her face.

"I know what you're thinking" aang said smiling.

"Sooo…. Could you… hmm like airbend into the air or something?" she said trying not to laugh.

"Ahh… I don't toph" aang teased.

"Oh come on… pretty please with sucker up top… pleeease" toph begged.

"Okay then" aang said half laughing.

Aang took a stand and lunched sokka 10 meters up in the air.

"AHHHHHAHHHHHHAHHHH OH SHIT!" they heard sokka yell falling to the ground.

BANG! Was the noise sokka made when he landed. He looked up and was just about to say something but couldn't get a word out.

"Come on sokka let's get some food" toph said laughing.

**Short skip**

"What took you guys so long?" katara asked.

"Oh nothing just a little erring" toph said smiling at aang.

They all sat down by the campfire and started to eat.

"Wow this is great katara" aang said as the first. Toph sighed when said heard it.

"Thanks aang" katara replied smiling.

After the meal toph got up and started to walk down to the lake nearby.

"Don't stay down there for too long" katara yelled after toph.

"I won't… mom" she mumbled the last part.

Toph sat down buy the lake and dipped her toes in the cold water. She mumbled something to herself.

A single tear slipped her eyes and fell in the water…


	4. Authors Note

**Authors Note **

**The follow ad is made by me all rights persevered © haha only joking.**

Hey, hey enjoying the story so far? Answer that in your reviews.

Well I'm think I'm gonna try to explain some things in the story. Like why is toph a bit ooc in the 3 chapter, because I like stories where toph is more sensitive I think it's awesome, but don't worry I'm not going to make her a cry baby (just in some of the chapters).

Aang well he's aang, maybe a little more of a romance guy in this story, since he's fantasias about toph _**and **_katara.

Katara well again she likes aang, and since zuko is not part of the crew then NO zutara and if it happens well deal with it, because I haven't decided what parings I want to make for this story.

And sokka yeah well… he's just sokka meat and sarcasm guy and nothings gonna change that.

So if you like to know more of this story the send me a private messaged, or add a question in your review if your planning on doing that!

Happy reading and wish me good luck with the next chapters! See ya.


	5. The fire nation soilder

**We lost**

**Chapter 4 The ****Fire nation solider.**

Toph sat alone by river thinking about how she could get aang to notice her more,

"Damm you katara" she mumbled

Time pasted and aang and the others were getting worried for toph, even though they knew she could take care of herself.

"Aang can you look for toph?" katara asked her friend. But aang was paying attention to anyone because he was flying around on his air scooter.

"Aang!" katara yelled. He stopped immediately and sat down.

"Sorry what"

"Could you go look for toph?" she asked again.

"Sure thing!" he said in a hurry and rushed to the lake, as he did aang felt like he was being watched. But he continued going in the direction of the lake. But what he didn't know is that he really was being watched by a fire nation soldier, who had been following them since the found appa.

"Finally! I have enough prove to prove that the avatar alive" the soldier said to himself with an evil smile.

He took his messenger hawk and rote a short note, it said:

"To fire lord ozai, after months of searching I have finally found proof of the avatar is alive, he's traveling with 3 other children, two siblings from the water nation (one girl, one boy) and earth nation girl. They are all benders except from the water tribe boy and I've taken the pleasure to get to know their names, (the avatars name is aang, and the siblings names are sokka and katara, and last the earth girl name is toph bei fong a quite interesting name don't you think?"

He took the note and gave to the hawk and it fly off immediately. "Hmm now just wait a couple of days and the fire nation arrive and they will regret they ever cast me out and called me crazy for saying the avatar was alive. And then I will be reinstated as general" he chuckled.

Back at camp katara was preparing for bed when she heard a noise coming from outside her tent, she stood up,

"Hallo?" she called, but there was no answer. "Why are aang and toph not back yet… oh well maybe its them" katara thought as she went outside.

When she got out of her tent there was no one only sokka slept at the campfire, he let out a big snore that made katara jump

"Dammit sokka almost scary the pants off me" she said quite to herself but then went inside her tent again.

In the woods aang was nearing the lake. And when he finally reached the lake he did not like what he saw,

One of his friends sitting alone… so he went over with a big smile in his face, when he was close enough to toph he was greeted by a sad face, and his smile disappeared as quickly as I had come, and his eyes turned concerned and comforting.

"Toph are you okay?" he asked,

"Am just fine!" she said firm,

"Then why the sad face" he pushed.

"Be… be…. Ah forget it aang, now could you leave me alone"

"So you want to be alone huh?" he asked.

"Yes!"

"Fine" he said wandering off. Toph thought for a monument and quickly yelled.

"NO!... Ahem… I mean no you don't have to go if you don't want too" she said blushing.

Aang saw this and decided to see what she would do to make him stay if he kept on going back.

"Nah I'll think I'll head back to camp, you wanted to be alone… Remember" he teased and kept going in direction of the camp,

Toph seeing that I wasn't willing to stay voluntarily, so she bended a rock in front of him, he stopped right in front of it.

"I taught you wanted to be alone?" he said turning around smiling.

"Well I **wanted **to be alone" she said smiling too "So when are you gonna start leaning earth bending? I mean you are the avatar after all"

"It looks like I'm going to get a lesson right now" He grinned.

"Damm right" toph laughed.

They both got closer to each other and toph starting explaining the basis stances in earth bending. Aang quickly leaned the stances and said he was ready to try moving rocks and stuff, but toph replied that it would have to wait till morning.

So they both rushed back to the camp, and when they got there they both went to their tents smiling and blushing.

The next day believe it or not sokka was the first to wake up, he woke up slowly and started to check something, he'd heard some noises from the woods but it had been to dark yesterday for him to check out.

When he got in the woods he saw what looked like something that was a camp, the fire place was dried and there was a tree stump that you could sit on, sokka saw something small lying on the ground it was hard, sokka turned it over, he gasped as he saw it bared the mark of the fire nation.

"Oh no" he whispered to himself. He ran back to the camp as he yelled.

"AANG, KATARA, TOPH!" he screamed.

They all rushed out of their tents and katara came up to sokka and asked what was wrong, he gasped for air at the time but still managed to say what he saw.

"I think were being for or spied on"

"What!" they all gasped.

"Yeah and I think it's the fire nation just look at this" sokka said holding out the thing he had found in that camp.

At with that katara quickly told everybody to pack their bags and get on appa. When that was done they flew away as fast as they could on appa.

"What now?" toph asked blindly.

"I don't know" sokka said quite.

"HEY! I got an idea" aang yelled in excitement. There was quite for a moment until katara broke it.

"Feel like sharing it?" she asked.

Aang nodded and told about how they were not long away from the northern air temple. The others looked at each other, and it seem like no one had a better idea and with that they sat off for the temple.


	6. The Fight

**We lost **

**Chapter 5 The fight.**

As the group approached the Northern air temple they were all thinking the same thing "Where they really being followed and for how long?" that was the thing on everybody's mind.

"How could we have been followed without me even knowing it!" toph complained.

"I don't toph" aang said also stunned that they have been followed and by the fire nation, this meant bad things was going to happen.

"There it is!" aang yelled.

"About damm time!" toph complained once again.

"What are you so mad about toph!" aang said frustrated by toph's behavior.

"I'm not mad!" he yelled back. Aang said nothing but landed appa in the temples courtyard.

"If you're not mad then what is it you complaining about!" aang yelled as he jumped of appa. Both katara and sokka just stood there and watched the fight unfold into something worse.

"You know what twinkle toes!" there was a pause then aang spoke, "no what!"

"YOU TALK TO MUCH!" toph screamed. Aang said nothing… minutes passed and no one said anything, toph sensed something in aang… something she had never sensed in a person. She could feel something build up inside him and then… he didn't explode like she had excepted but only said.

"You know what toph, you're an arrogant little brat!" aang screamed back, and they all stood there in shock all thinking how aang could ever said that. Aang stood there breathing heavily until it finally clicked he quickly forced his hand to his mouth, tears started to form in toph eyes as the memory of the day before and how much fun they had had.

"Toph I'm…" he couldn't finish before she was gone. Toph ran through the temple even though she didn't know where she was going, behind her was katara running after her, toph stopped for a second and bended a rock in front of the door she'd just run through, katara stopped just in time,

"Whoa if I had run just a bit faster I would have crashed right into that boulder" katara though.

"Where did she go?" aang yelled behind her.

"Through that door I'm afraid" katara said as aang came up beside her. "Katara go back to sokka I'll handled this"

"You sure about that?" katara questioned. "Very sure" aang replied nodding.

Katara left silent as aang took his earth bending stance, even though he haven't move a rock in his life he could still try, he dug his feet deep into the ground and moved his hands forward as hard as he could. The rock moved a little he tried it again and again until the rock was moved away from the doorway, after that he sighed and returned to running after toph, he ran through the hallway almost to the end, he stopped when he heard sobbing.

He entered the room where the sobbing was coming from. He knocked on the door before he entered the room fully,

"To...toph?" he called.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Toph screamed so high that even sokka and katara could hear it from the courtyard,

"Toph I'm…" he was stopped by a boulder fly towards him. He dodged it just in time.

"GET OUT!" she screamed again and another boulder flew across the room, but this time aang didn't dodge it in time, it hit sending him flying across the room and smashing through a lot of walls until he reached a small garden.

"AANG!" toph yelled but not with anger in her voice but self hate for her actions. She reached the garden where she saw aang lying completely still, and toph just stood there unable to move, she felt this numbness wash over her. Katara and sokka came running, katara quickly saw had happened. She knelt down before aang and looked at toph and whispered

"What have you done?"


	7. What Happened?

**We lost **

**Chapter 6 ****What happened?**

"What have you done!" katara repeated with anger in her voice.

"I…I…" toph couldn't believe it either.

Katara demanded toph to move the boulder, toph did so and quickly, after she had done so katara picked aang up in her arms and went for the nearest room and slammed the door hard.

"Toph what happened?" sokka asked quite.

"I…I… I don't know… I was mad and… and I couldn't control myself!" toph started to cry and sob, thinking that she had ruined everything between them. The only good thing she could think of was that he was still alive, she had felt his heartbeat.

Katara laid aang down on a bed in the big room, she removed his shirt to see if there was any major injuries, as she removed the shirt she blushed slightly but brushed it of her, she looked for any injuries on the stomach but there was none to be found only small bruises. She found a ball and went out to get water when she came back aang was awake.

"AANG YOUR AWAKE!" she practically screamed.

"Ka…katara" he mumbled as he struggled to sit up.

"Shh… you've been in and accident…and you might have broken something" she said as she looked at him again closer this time.

"How… did this…happen?" he asked weakly.

"Toph" katara mumbled so quite that aang couldn't hear it.

"I'm sorry what?" he asked again with a bit stronger voice.

"Toph!" katara said loud and firm.

"Toph… what about her" he asked Dum. Katara gave aang a weird look but then understood that he didn't remember the "Accident".

Katara sighed but then started to tell aang all about what happened. Aang sat there in disbelief of the events that was happened for not more than a half hour ago.

"I just can't believe toph lost it like that!" katara kept on talking about toph for more than a just minute.

"Katara" aang asked in a caring voice even though he was the one who was cared for at the moment.

"Yes aang, you need something?"

"Can you help me get up?"

"I don't think that's a very good idea"

"Katara please" aang said with a sad dog face that katara couldn't resist.

"Okay…" katara said throwing her arms up in surrender. She helped him get his shirt on again, and she then helped him stand up and walk.

"Here take this" she said quickly grapping his glider "you can use it as a crutch"

"Thanks" he smiled. Katara lead him to the courtyard where they had set up their camp.

"Aang!" Sokka's voice rang through aang dizzy head.

"Hey…" aang said trying to keep his footing.

"Whoa… it's great to see you on your feet so quickly" he added. Aang just nodded and turned to ask where toph was, she just told him that he didn't know where she was… Aang went around the temple und till the evening but found no trace of toph.

Aang sat down by the camp fire they've made as he sat down he let out a heavy and concerning sigh.

"Did you find toph?" asked katara sipping her tea.

"No…" aang said as he exhaled a breath he'd been holding on to.

I another area of the temple sat toph crying hers blinds eyes….


	8. Authors Note 2

**Authors note**

Hey whats up, it's me… again yeah I know it's annoying to read these… but my story you have haha just kidding.

Well you guys… I think I know what paring I gonna use, if you pay attention to the story you'll notice it

And now…. I'm off to make more chapters I just need one more review to do it, please help me.

Oh and in case you're wondering why toph got so mad so fast, well it's because as we all know toph does not share her emotions/feelings, and when she bottle them up like that, eventually they will explode and that's pretty much what happens in the last chapter.

Chao for now


	9. Leaving The Temple

**We lost**

**Chapter 7**** Leaving**** The Temple.**

"**To...toph?" **

"**LEAVE ME ALONE!" **

"**Toph I'm…" **

"**GET OUT!" **

"**What have you done!" **

The scene played again and again in toph's mind, and just made her cry harder.

The only things toph could thing about how aang was, but she didn't want to go back… not now.

And the other thing that went through her mind was if aang now hated her by now after what she did.

But in another place, sat a boy with blue arrow on his head feeling just as bad,

"What have I done?" aang said pressing his hands to his bald forehead.

"WHAT HAVE **YOU** DONE? Katara yelled "YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"Well… I did call her an arrogant brat, didn't I?" he replied looking into the fire.

"That's nothing compared to what she did" katara pointed out. Aang only response was a heavy sigh.

"I'm heading to bed" he said walking towards his sleeping bag. As he did katara watched and thought **"He's cute but… ah get it together he doesn't like you, he too busy with toph, maybe I can try doing something for him… but what?"**As the thoughts flowed through her mind she realized that it was getting late, and headed to bed as well**. **Just before she went to bed, she gave aang a last thought, she then landed down in her sleeping bag and fell asleep.

Aang now to was laying in his sleeping bag, but he could not find rest there, so he got up, he wanted to see if he could find toph.

As aang explored the temple memories went through his head, it made him sad to think that he was the last of his kind.

He quickly snapped out of it when he heard rocks moving, a big boulder came down from the wall it was stuck on, behind it was toph, red eyes skin paler than before like she was coming down with something.

"Toph!" aang yelled out in happiness, he ran over and embraced his friend.

"Wait…you're not mad?" she said and gave a "look" questioned look.

"Of course not" he smiled.

"Thank the spirits!" toph sighed "But why aren't you…you should be furious…but…but why?" toph asked amazed by how fast aang had forgiven her.

"I was never mad at you toph…"

"But why…?" she kept on asking.

"Be…because I like you!" the words busted out of his mouth like a Rhino bursting through his teeth.

Toph did not say anything but turned around to hide her blush.

"Oh man" Aang sighed "Toph im sorry… I shou…" he was cut off by toph pressing her lips against his.

They ended up in a big and long passionate kiss, leaving both breathless.

"Wow…" aang gasped as he pulled back.

"Yeah…" toph answer clearly in another universe…her universe. "Let's go back to the others" she suddenly said.

"Okay…I gauss" aang said half smiling. When they reached the place where they had sat up camp, they both got in there sleeping bags og fell asleep both with smiles on their faces.

The next day toph was the first to wake up, she did not sleep much last night but she didn't feel tired at all. She sat up in her sleeping bag, she got up and put her feet on the ground so she could "see" if anyone else was awake, and there where…katara, toph smelled something she walked towards the place where the smell came from.

"Moring toph" katara smiled as she approached.

"Moring…" toph said tired **"This is the first time…in a long time she'd made breakfast… So why now?"**

Minutes passed and the others stated to wake up, aang was the first to get up and over to where the two girls where.

"Hey gu… wow something smells nice" he said.

"Thank you aang" katara smiled, toph coughed and aang quickly spun around on his heel to check if something was wrong.

Katara coughed slightly and said "So aang when should we start your waterbending training.

"You just say the word katara" he replied smiling.

"Hey guys, whats cooking?" sokka asked finally awake.

"Not much…" katara replied slowly "Except this food I made"

"Hmm that smells great sis" sokka said rubbing his stomach. They all sat down and ate breakfast.

"We should get going again, we've already been here for too long" sokka suddenly said.

"Your right sokka, we'd already been her too long" Katara replied fast.

They all started to pack there things and got on appa, As they flew aang looked back and whispered

"I miss you…"

So this was the seventh chapter in this story,

Hope you enjoy it


	10. Awakening

**We Lost**

**Chapter 8**

"**I miss ****you" aang said as he grapped Appa's reins and started to fly faster. **

"**So where to now?" katara asked placing a hand on aang's shoulder.**

**Aang sighed and slowly replied "I don't know" with that sokka quickly got up, and pointed at something coming at them, **

"**WACHT OUT!" he screamed as a ten big fireballs came at them, aang tried to dodge them but wasn't fast enough, appa spun around and they all fell off… **

The next day aang woke up in a forest he didn't remember flying over the day before they all…

Aang quickly sat up, gasping for air,

He tried to remember what had happened,

He remembered sokka yelling, Katara's scream, and then silence and blackness, like falling inside black.

"What had happened" he thought, he tried to bend himself up in a tree, but as he tried a jolt of pain was sent up through his arm,

"Arrr…" Biting down the scream aang started to walk instead. He came to a little lake, which went through the forest.

He scanned the area for traces of his lost friends, seeing some broken trees, properly from appa and a crater which he assumed that appa also made, but there where no appa in it. There also where a sign of a fight,

"What the…." He thought, aang looked down at himself seeing his whole right arm was burnt and properly broken too. Aang walked on, seeing more destruction of the big forest. Trees where bunt and earth was ripped up, the whole place looked like a warzone, a really big war zone.

In the middle was a hill, aang figured it most have been some sort off last stand hill or something.

He searched the area more, finding parts of ripped clothes, he found the skirt of a waterbender outfit and some parts from a earth nation clothes. But no warrior outfit that sokka would have worn. He walked longer into the forest picking up the pieces along the way. Aang saw something moving behind some bushes,

He quickly took his stance and blasted the bush away with a powerful wind, dust and dirt filled the air so he couldn't see anything, the dust cleared after a short time, revealing an unconscious katara.

"Katara" aang cried out, running to his friend's side as fast as possible. A weak noise was the only response katara could muster.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here" aang said picking katara up in his arms. She was bleeding alot and properly had a broken arm or leg. Aang had forgotten he had broken his arm, but he mustered enough strength to carry her with one arm. After he came to the lake again he placed katara down by the water and tried at the best of his ability to heal her wounds with some of the techniques she had learned him.

When he saw there was nothing more he could do, he just sat down and waited. Hours went by and there was still no response from katara.

"What do I do" aang asked himself, and pressed a hand on his forehead. Suddenly a sound came from katara that made aang jump. She coughed and turned to the side.

"Oh thank god…." Aang smiled "At least she's not dead" and then it hit him harder than toph throwing rocks at him, he had forgotten to search for the sokka and toph.

What if the where same condition as katara or worse, or dead, all of this flowed through aang's mind.

He quickly made a fire place to katara to keep her warm and sat off to find the others. Aang spent hours looking for toph and sokka but with no luck. Tired and hurting by his arm he returned to the campsite.

Katara was now awake but had not tried to sit up.

"Katara" aang said softly

"He…hey aang" katara answered tired, katara slowly looked around "Where are the others?"

Aang looked down, and slowly answered "I don't know"

"Wha…what do you mean?" katara asked.

"IT MEANS I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!" aang yelled but quickly grapped his mouth "I'm…im sorry katara…it's just I've been looking for them for hours"

"It's okay aang…"

**Oh snap, what the hell just happened, where are the others and was the gaang part of the**

"**Big Fight" well… you'll have to what until next chapter is released!**

**Oh and hope you enjoyed my first half epic chapter**

**Chao for now**

**Katara's Apprentice's **


	11. Whispers In The Dark

**We Lost**

**Chapter 9 Whispers In The Dark**

**Everything was spinning around in aang's head, so many questions like where were sokka and toph? And what the hell had happened in this forest? Well katara didn't help she couldn't remember a thing, at least not right now.**

It was early Moring and aang haven't even closed his eyes since katara told him that everything was okay. Aang gazed into the water, but was distracted by katara tossing and turning in her sleeping bag.

But aang ignored about that, it was still dark but only a few minutes from sunrise, so he decided to meditate, he assumed his position he took a deep breath and relaxed completely. But there was something in the back of his mind, nagging him the thought of his two best friends still out there and properly in a worse condition than katara was. It was hard on him.

Aang let a small tear roll down his cheek and into his hands. Finally katara awoke

"A… Aang are you there?" she called, with that aang rushed to her side.

"Yes, im right here! Are you in any pain? Do you need anything just say the word" he said quickly and concerned.

"My back hurts" katara magnet to wimp out. Aang tried to sit her up, but as he did, katara let out a quite scream of pain.

"Im sorry im sorry im sorry!" he said placing her down again "Are you okay?" katara didn't answer but just laid there. "Ka…Katara?" aang asked concerned.

"Im fine aang, don't worry" katara said softly.

"Oh thank the sprits" aang said relieved. Aang took a look around the camp he had set up the last night, and decide to lit the campfire for katara so she wouldn't get cold.

"Katara, I'll go look for sokka and toph, are you okay with being here alone?" Aang asked looking at the campfire.

Katara coughed and then said "Sure, I'll be fine"

"Okay" aang said walking off, "Aang!" katara yelled

Aang turned around, "Yes?"

"Please find them" katara said, you could almost see the torture of not being able to help in her eyes

"Don't worry, I will find them" He said so quite katara almost didn't hear it. And with that aang flew off on his glider

"AHH!" katara screamed once she was sure aang couldn't hear her, she hated not being able to do anything

Katara finally decide she had to do something, so she tried to sit up. As she tried to sit up a jolt of pain was sent up through her spine.

Katara screamed in pain, and quickly laid down again, tears started to roll down her cheeks.

In the forest aang was still searching for sokka and toph, aang was getting weaker by the minute, but he didn't know why.

Aang quickly press his hand to his forehead, he felt like he was having a really big headache, he head a voice inside his head

"_**Aang…why did you leave us, don't you care about us?"**_

"What? Who are you! I didn't leave anybody!" aang screamed

"_**Really? What about your friends then? Why didn't you protect them?"**_

"I can't remember what happened! It wasn't my fault!" aang kept screaming

"_**Just look at katara, look at the pain she's in! And sokka oh his is in real pain right now!" **_

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD"

"_**And toph…"**_

"SHUT UP!" aang waved his arm and powerful blast of wind ripped trees up from their roots, his eyes started glowing and a more powerful wind arose around him, he started to hover high above the ground, a mini tornado formed around him as he flew higher.

Aang screamed once more time before crashing into the ground. There was a massive blast of air the almost ripped every tree up in the area of the blast and then silence. In the middle of it all was aang sweating and breathing heavily, the sweat was dripping from aang's body.

"_**Whispers in the dark aang…" **_

Aang lay on the ground trying to collect himself. "What just happened" he asked himself.

Back at camp katara was feeling better, so once again she tried to sit up, it still hurt but not nearly as much as it had,

"Finally" katara sighed.

**Deep underground was toph, sitting her arms wrapped around her legs…just waiting…**

**In another place deep inside the forest was sokka, a broken arm and leg.**

Aang was returning to his and Katara's camp. As he a revived he saw that katara was sitting up.

"Katara! You're sitting up" aang said happily

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt that much anymore" she replied "Did you find them?"

Aang sat down and looked at katara sadly and quietly said "No…" Tears started to form in katara eyes.

Aang felt something behind him, he looked but there was nothing.

A shadow looking creature came up from behind grapping aang's shoulder. He didn't turn around to look

"_**You see? Look at her pain, and it's your fault aang"**_

"It's not my fault, I did my best" aang whispered to himself

"_**Did you? Let me show you"**_

Images flashed through aang's mind, of him, katara, sokka and toph, he saw himself bending air around the others protecting them from the fireballs flying around them. He saw the firebenders were closing in on them. Everyone was doing their best, but there were simply too many for them, he saw himself inter the avatar state and hover above the air with eyes glowing. He then saw himself crash into the ground blasting everything and everyone away.

"Oh my god… it's my fault…"

"_**I told you it was your fault my little airbender, all your fault…"**_

The last part faded out as the shadow creature disappeared.

"It wasn't my fault!" aang yelled

"What wasn't your fault aang?" katara asked giving him a strange look

"It's nothing" Aang laired. The truth was that aang didn't know what to say, he was stunned to find out that it was all his fault, his fault that katara was hurt, his fault that sokka and toph was still missing and hurt.


	12. Authors Note 3

**Author's Note**

Well hello there, it's me again, listen this is just gonna be a quick one before I continue my story.

I wanna thanks everyone for coming and checking out my story I means a lot, and a special thanks to everyone who reviewed my stories means even more ;)

And I wanna thanks an Anonymous Reviewer who left no name but a great review with a lot of great ideas, and from now on im gonna be following his advice.

Thank You All!

Chao for now, Katara's Apprentice


	13. If You Only Knew

**If You Only Knew**

As Aang and Katara sat by their campfire they both thought about that night when aang first heard about the war. The way they looked at each other, the way the moon lighted and reflected in their eyes perfect… and now it was happing again, it was night, the moon was rising and the campfire was about to go out. The night was perfect and as the fire was dancing across the camp, aang took a look around and his eyes caught katara, she had been staring at him for the last five minutes, aang looked her in her perfect blue eyes expecting her to quickly turn away, but she didn't she just kept looking at him smiling while doing so, katara came closer to him, aang tried to back away but he just couldn't, she put her hand in his, it made both aang and katara blush.

"**Oh my god! What is she doing? But I gotta say whatever she's trying to do… I like it…" **Aang thought to himself. Katara came a little closer again this time aang moved closer to her as well until they were right in front of each other.

"What are we doing…" katara said tenderly

"I don't care" aang said quite and leaned in to kiss her, katara did the same and… their lips met, it was a long kiss, it lasted for about a minute until they broke it for air, happiness overwhelmed katara, she had finally kissed him overcome her fear and kissed him, aang kissed her again on her nose and made her giggle but the happy face soon turned to a sad one.

"What's wrong katara? Oh… I forgot about that…" aang said remembering toph and sokka was still missing. Suddenly the ground started shaking, aang and katara quickly got up and assumed a fighting position they both looked around and then a hole appeared in the ground and to their surprise toph was in it.

"Hey can I get a hand over here?" toph yelled from the hole, both aang and katara ran over to help her out of the hole. "Toph! I can't believe it you're back!" katara and aang both yelled at the same time.

"Yeah, yeah im back woohoo" Toph said so sarcastic it made katara give her an odd look, and even though she couldn't see it toph could feel it.

"Fine… I've missed you guys too" she said smiling, aang pulled the two girls into a warm hug. Even toph didn't resist cause' she knew there where no way around it, but the warm hug was replaced by a quick question from katara.

"So toph… one question, where the hell have you been?"

"Yeah I was about to tell you, but as you can see I was interrupted, but I've been underground listening" toph replied.

"Listening?" both katara and aang questioned.

"Yes, I was trying to hear I could find you guys" she continued, "So while you listened… did…did you hear sokka?" katara asked concerned for her older brother

"As A matter a fact, I actually did hear him he's in the north end of the forest, almost at the end" toph said, and a smiled started to spread over Katara's face, aang couldn't help but smile himself. He notice that it was about to get dark and suggested that they started their search the next day, they all agreed on that.

The next day, katara was the first to wake up, she was eager to find sokka. It had been more than just a couple of days at least to her…


	14. Authors Note 4 Im So Sorry

Author's Note 4

I know there's been a lot of these note now, but I just want to say that im very, very sorry for not updating in awhile, I thought I would had some time in the summer , ha! Guess I was wrong, and I also wanna say that I have started on the next chapter, so won't too long before you see an chapter update. Thanks you your patience and thanks for not nagging me about it

I promise it won't be long.

Katara's Apprentice signing off..


	15. Stars

**Stars**

"Come on guys wake up!" Katara yelled at aang and toph who was still sleeping.

"Hmm.. no… five more minutes…mom.." Toph mumbled. Katara didn't say more, but pulled her out off the sleeping bag onto the ground, she did the same with aang

"Hey!" the both yelled , "You guys really need to wake up! We gotta start looking for Sokka!" Katara said loudly. After about 5 minutes they both fully woke up.

"Thank you spirits" katara said while sighing. Both aang, toph was smiling, but katara was not, she a concerned look mixed with fear and anxiousness for she knew that she might find sokka, or she might **not** find sokka. As aang and toph got up they smelled something in the air, it was katara making breakfast, they both enjoyed the smell a bit longer then got up,

"Katara, have you even gotten any sleep?" aang asked while walking up to the very little active bonfire they had made the last night, I was only just warm enough to keep their feet warm almost.

"Of course I've slept" katara frowned, aang knew there's was no point in arguing with her, for he knew he would lose. "So toph..."

Katara asked "Can you locate sokka?" katara let toph think for a while before asking again. While she was waiting she looked up at in the sky, it was still a bit dark up there, so you could if you looked close, you could see the stars.

"They are beautiful, aren't they" Aang said making katara jump,

"Ah…yes they are…very" katara answered, aang looked at katara with the look of a man knowing he might not see her again, like he already missed her, but he knew that she wasn't going anywhere. Katara looked back at him in almost the exact same way, but her eyes were shining with the light of the raising sun.

"Your eyes are so beautiful" aang blurted out, it made katara giggle with flattery but making aang embarrassed,

"Guys!" a loud yell came from one of their tents

"We've found him!" it was toph who was yelling. It made katara jump with joy and she hugged and quickly but tight and then she ran to toph. After all that they packed up and set off to find sokka. Katara was walking front and was going with a quick paste for she was not walking with energy, she was walking with determination.

"Just a bit more and we are there" toph coughed out for even she was having trouble keeping up with her waterbending friend. Katara started to run when she saw something move in the bushes, she saw a blue ripped shirt, she felt more and more exited the closer she came, and watched as more and more parts of clothes and burned trees until they got to a small crater, and not in the middle but a little to the side of it was sokka. Katara watched as her older brother was lying there looking dead.

"Sokka!" Katara almost screamed, he didn't respond nor did he open his eyes, but he lifted his finger and pointed at her, she ran to him, when she reached him she dropped on her knees and hugged him gently trying not to course any further damage.

"Toph! Help me get him up" Katara said in her commanding voice, toph nodded she spread her legs and stretched out her arms and lifted them as gently as she could, while she lifted her hands an earth table appeared. The tree friends started to lift sokka onto the table with much success.

Katara grabbed sokka under the arms, aang was the one who took his legs and toph supported his back. After they had lifted onto the table. Sokka was no longer awake but he was breathing. Toph started to gently move the earth table back towards the camp, the trip back was hard, they had encounter raiders it wasn't really anything they couldn't handle.

They were walking through the woods back towards their camp toph had noticed some different vibrations, she stopped dead in her tracks, aang looked back and saw her looking different than before, she almost seemed nervous.

"Toph is something wrong?" He asked

Toph slowly said "we're being followed" Katara had overheard it and turned to toph

"What do you mean, by who?" She asked quickly, toph stuck her feet deeper into the ground, she could feel heavy stomps, metal shoes properly and it felt even heavier almost as if the person was wearing armor.

Toph listened a moment longer then walked on with the others.

In the trees above the gang was The Yu Yan, an elite group of archers sent by the firelord after it was come to his attention that his soldiers was defeated in the in the woods. The Yu Yan was streaming across the treetops watching the children below them.

"Stop here" called the leader silently to the group "Get your bows out" he continued then took out a bow of his own, the leader wave a hand to some fire nation soldiers down in the woods, they were close the gang. The soldiers started to move as silent as they could.

Toph had now become very uneasy, the still vibrations she got before was gone, replace med loud noises and panting, she grapped katara by the hand and made her stop,

Katara turned and looked at her, "What is it?" she asked clearly in a rush to get sokka out, they had removed from the table and katara and aang was now carrying him.

"Listen!" Toph hissed, they all listened, even Aang and Katara could hear it now, suddenly they could hear someone called out "Death to the avatar!" and with that arrows started flying.

Toph heard the arrows coming from above and quickly pointed her arms to the ground, earth came rushing up through the ground making an earth tent, the arrows didn't hit any of them.

"What the hell just happened!" Aang shouted, Katara didn't say anything, aang had let go of sokka in the rush leaving katara holding him herself.


	16. New Friends, Same Problems

**New Friends, Same problems**

They were all in shock, none of them had anticipated an attack not even Toph. They had stopped shooting arrows and things became quite, but Toph could still feel them outside.

It suddenly became warmer inside the earth tent, Aang put his hand to the wall but quickly withdrew it.

"It's burning hot" he exclaimed.

"We need to find a way out" Katara quickly said and with that the wall blew open, it was two fire benders that had hit the wall at the same time with a tremendous power, smoke and dust filled the air and left them all coughing blinded. Aang had been standing next to the wall that blew up and was now unconscious.

It all happened fast, the soldiers quickly rushed in and grapped Aang, as soon as they had aang the rushed out and ran away with him. There went several of minutes before Toph, Katara and Sokka came to their senses and realized Aang was gone, Katara sat up holding her hands to her head, all she could hear was a loud ringing, she noticed toph saying something but she could hear what it was.

"KATARA!" Toph shouted at the top of her lungs, that made Katara's ringing go away and she shook her head showing that she could hear her

Toph lowered her voice and said "Now that I have your attention, we need to get sokka to a healer"

Katara nodded her head and got up. They both took sokka by the arm and started to move out of what was left of the earth tent.

"There is a town not too far away from here" Toph said

"Then let's move" Katara replied quickly. Both Katara and Toph was worried about Aang, but there was no time to talk or think about it as long as Sokka was in the condition he was in. The moved down the narrow forest way, they had progressed fast through the forest in fear of the fire nation's men would return to finish the job, but finally Toph said.

"I can feel it we're close Katara"

"Sokka needs to rest" Katara said looking concerned at Sokka's injuries.

His arm was almost dangling, he had many bruise. Katara couldn't tell if there was anything hurt inside him.

"There's no time Katara, we need to get him to a healer" Toph said in a commanding voice. They walked the dirty road a bit longer before they saw the little city. Katara's eyes understandable went to Sokka almost every minute. He had not said anything only mumbled things even Toph couldn't really understand. They finally came to the city small gates, the asked a guard captain about the doctors location, he glanced a Sokka and quickly called some of his men to assist to two girls, they got Sokka to the doctor quick and as careful as possible. The doctor's office was not big nor was the building itself, there were properly only enough room for to patients at once.

The doctor came in. Katara was surprised to see that it was a woman.

"Hello, im Valerie" she said in a serious but welcoming tone. She took a close look at Sokka and said

"The bruises I can heal, but the arm… must by itself, still I can bandage it but that is all"

"How long will it take for the arm to heal?" Katara asked

"Can take up to a whole year or a couple of months, there is a way to get it to heal quicker… Waterbending" she said looking at Katara.

Katara looked at her water purse.

"I am a waterbender, but im not sure that I can perform such a healing yet" She said looking down.

Valerie stretched her hand out pointing at the purse

"Give it to me" she said, Katara took the purse and handed it to her. She opened the purse and bended the water out with a slight twist of her hand, she made the water in cycle her hands and they started to glow a light shade of blue, she moved her hands to Sokka's many bruises, they slowly started to fade away.

Sokka groaned slightly but also started to open his eyes. Katara eyes sparked with joy of seeing her brother life return to his eyes.

Aang woke up to a not so pleasant site when he saw fire nation banners everywhere. He looked around and saw a solider standing against the door leaning on it with an evil smirk

"Well, well, well, you're finally awake…good…good..." the solider said with an annoying tone of satisfaction in his voice.

Aang remained silent even though he wanted to scream.

The solider continued "You are a hard man to find mister..?" Aang just shot the solider a cold look,

He went on with a sinister expression on his face "Don't worry, your stay here will be a brief one"

Aang lifted his head as the solider came closer, he spat on his uniform, the man raised his hand forming a fist, he landed brutal strike to Aang's cheek it landed so hard that he fainted.

The solider walked out of the room and called a couple of guards to the door.

Minutes passed before Aang opened his eyes again, he looked around seeing nothing but the red steel walls with the fire nation banners.


	17. Ain't no place for a Hero?

**No Place for a Hero?**

Sokka groaned, as he struggled with laying still. Every now and then Katara came to check on him, Valerie had asked them if they wanted to stay in her house, seeing no other option at that moment, they agreed and accepted Valerie's offer.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did this happen?" Valerie asked curiously.

Katara sat down by the fireplace, next to Valerie before answering.

"The Fire Nation, that's what happened." Katara said with clear hate in her voice. Valerie nodded as she somehow understood.

Valerie started in a loving, calm voice, reminding Katara of her mother.

"We all had our run in with them, believe you me."

Katara smiled at her. Toph was sound asleep as well as Sokka, Katara nodded once at Valerie as she walked to the same room as Sokka, she saw an extra bed for her. She had a lie down on it and closed her eyes, the bed felt somewhat hard, but it was fine Katara thought to herself before falling asleep.

Aang looked around for any way to get out of the shackles. It seemed impossible, but he kept struggling.

Things went quiet as she solider returned with a couple of men behind him. He looked back at the two men as she said:

"Prepare him for transport, make sure you knock him out, wouldn't want him walking up." He said smiling satisfied at Aang. One of the guards walked behind him with and clubbed him on the backside of his head, he was out cold. They opened his chains and carried him out the room.

Aang once again woke up in a different place. He looked around, feeling he was moving.

He scratched the backside of his head. He managed to struggle to his feet, putting a hand on the wall for support, it was hard for him to even stand up, and the wagon carrying his steel case was hitting plenty of rocks on the road. He tried to let out a cry of help but no words came out as he opened his mouth, he quickly grapped his throat feeling quite sore.

He fell lightly against the back wall, sliding down in a sitting position, hanging his head letting out a long sigh.

Katara tossed and turned in her bed, letting out a whimpering noise once in awhile, she would let out a loud scream as she quickly sits up in her bed, the scream would most likely wake the whole house.

Sokka would almost fall out of his bed. Valerie would come rushing into the room with Toph right behind her.

"What is it! What happened!" Toph exclaimed loudly, all three of them were staring at Katara.

*N-nothing… just a nightmare…" Katara said looking down abit embarrassed. Toph would go mumbling back into her room, Sokka quickly got back to sleep. Valerie would give Katara a smile as she quickly says:

"Get back to sleep dear, you'll need your strength"

Katara felt back into her sleep.

The next day Katara woke up, feeling surprisingly well rested, She felt somewhat really safe here.

She got up from the bed, looking around, seeing Sokka wasn't in his bed, she raised an eyebrow as she walked outside her room, bumping into Valerie as she walked out the room.

"Oh my- I'm sorry" Valerie said, looking at Katara. Katara smiled at her, nodding politely.

"It's alright, no harm done" She said. Valerie looked behind her out towards the kitchen.

"I was just about to get you, I didn't want to wake you earlier, you looked like you needed the sleep, but now that you're up, wanna join us for some breakfast?" Valerie asked, holding her hands behind her back.

Katara nodded once again, following Valerie out into the kitchen, seeing Toph and Sokka already shoving bread in their mouths. Katara couldn't help but laugh at them as she sat down at the table, taking a piece of bread starting to eat.

"I can't thank you enough for all your help Valerie" Katara said eating a little faster.

"Heh, No worries, you looked like you needed some help" She smiled at Katara as she spoke. But she opened her mouth again to speak "But.. I got thinking yesterday, you spoke of the fire nation yesterday, can you tell me more?"

Katara sighed as she spoke "Well.. What's there to say? We got ambushed, they took our friend as captive, broke Sokka's leg" Katara's voice would get more and more angry as she speaks.

"Captive you say?" Valerie leaned back on the kitchen counter "Captive.. Captive… Oh yes! I know there's a fire nation base around her not to far away, maybe a day's journey.. He might be there, but I'm not sure how much help that would do" She shrugs a little.

Katara's eyes sparkled as she looked up at Valerie in hope "Just a day's journey? Where else could they have taken him! We- We gotta go right now!" Katara stood up as she looked around, seeing Sokka, looking down at the table, Katara sighed greatly "We can't do anything can we.."

Sokka laid a hand on Katara's "I'm sorry sis, I'm not going anywhere far at this moment, plus, we can't really do anything, I mean, how the hell would we even get inside? Let alone find him in there" Sokka leaned back in his chair again.

"Dammit…" Katara mumbled.

_**Ahh? Ahh? Fuck yeah I'm back! :D Gonna do Authors note's like this from now on.. others were.. stupid.. yeah….. Anywho! I'm back!**_


	18. I'll Hold you in my heart

**I'll hold you in my heart**

Katara was clearly upset, knowing Aang was so damn close, but not being able to go, she didn't want to leave Sokka behind here, but she might have to.

Katara stood up as she clenched her hand to a fist, slamming it right into the table, almost everything on the table flew up and landed once again as Katara let out a groan in frustration and anger, her breath got heavier as she sat back down in the chair, sighing now instead, seeming to try and calm herself, but that was easier said that done. Sokka looked over at Katara, nodding to himself as he softly speaks.

"Katara..Go get him.."

Katara looked up, tears would've already formed in her eyes as she nods slowly, placing her hands on her knees, lifting herself up as she looks towards Toph.

"You wanna come along?" Katara would ask softly and controlled.

Toph smirked wickedly, looking straight upwards as she laughs.

"Crushing Fire soldiers? You can bet your feet I'm there!"

Katara would nod slowly as she smiles alittle towards Sokka as she walks to her room, from it they would hear her yell something about them leaving in an hour.

Toph nodded to herself as she smiles, clenching her hands to fists as she smacks them on the table before jumping off her chair and walking to the front door, opening it and sitting down on the doorstep, playing with the dirt around her feet. As leaned her head backwards towards the sky, feeling the warm summer breeze on her chin, but as she starting thinking back at Aang, how he had been to her, he was always so gentle, and sweet, she couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought of him, she started to blink rapidly as she felt her emotion build up in her eyes, she had never felt this way about anyone before, it was a rather strange feeling, it felt as a mixture of happiness of the thoughts of Aang, but also sadness at him not being here anymore.

"We better find him…" She mumbled to herself.

Not more than a few minutes after Katara came outside, seeing Toph on doorstep.

"You miss him too.. Don't you?" Katara said softly as she sat down next to Toph with her arms around her knees. Toph looked straight ahead as she gave a small nod as she slowly placed her hand on the doorstep, lifting herself to her bare feet.

"Meh, let's just get this over with and find your precious airbender."Toph fought hard to say it with such a cold tone.

Katara just nodded without a word as she lifted herself up with her hands on the doorstep, clapping her hands together after she got up to get rid of all the dust. Valarie came out and stood in the door looking at the Toph and Katara.

"You two have thought of the fact that you'll get captured right? I mean.. It's-.." Valerie was cut off by Katara giving her a hug.

"Promise me you'll take care of Sokka-..Please…" Katara looked at Valerie as she leaned back slowly, awaiting her answer patiently.

"What if you don't come back..?" Valerie asked, Toph snorted as she spoke in a rather high voice;

"Don't worry, we're coming back."

Katara nodded slowly as she hugged Valerie, and gave her a look that told Valerie all she needed to know, Katara finally released Valerie as she stepped back a little, joining Toph who was already well on her way to leaving, already walking 10 meters ahead, Katara ran just abit to catch up with Toph.

Aang sat silently in the small steel case as she felt it stop, he quickly got up, still feeling quite weak, but better than before at least. The door was flung open as Aang was quickly grabbed, and almost ripped out of the his cell, the soldiers would grab him by each hand and drag him towards a surprisingly small fire nation outpost, but still more secure than the other one had been.

Aang could hear orders being shouted in all directions, capturing the Avatar meant a great deal to the fire nation. Aang looked around seeing the two soldiers.

"**They don't look so though…" **Aang thought to himself as he looked behind him, plenty of woods to hide and take cover in, also a whole forest to burn down, Aang decided for himself that this might be his only chance to escape.

The soldiers didn't look aware of what Aang was doing at all, Aang took a big breath before setting off with one foot, turning his body backwards, as he reached the middle and let go of the air he'd been holding in, using his air bending to create a rather powerful airburst to blow him all the way backwards.

The soldiers naturally not expecting this at all, came flying with Aang due to having such a tight grip on his arms, both the soldiers landed on their stomachs having the air taken out of them would make them unable to get up for abit. Aang looked up slowly as he got to his feet, seeing the rest of the fire nation was already on their way back after what they heard, Aang quickly turned on a heel as he tried to run as fast as he possibly could. Running for the forest for cover he already felt heat behind him, Aang jumped, turning in mid air to meet around 5 fireballs rushing towards him, he places his hands together with a clap, as air came rushing from his sides to meet the fire,extinguishing it rather quickly. Aang fell backwards into a three as he gave a gasp for air, falling down on his knees, soon after getting up once more and setting off, he jumped behind the three in front of him just as a fireball would hit it, setting it on fire instantly, some of the threes Aang rushed past was old, all of them big and wouldn't catch fire with a single fireball, Aang duck for cover behind a old three as he tried to hide under its roots, covering under it hoping to not be discovered, the fire from the first three had reached the other threes and in the matter of minutes even more threes had caught fire, starting a small forest fire for now.

Katara a Toph sat at the inn of the town, night was falling as they had decided to stay in the inn for the night.

"You think we'll find him?" Katara asked, almost like she was talking to herself, she didn't even look at Toph as she spoke, just looking down into the table, sighing softly.

"Don't worry Katara, we'll find your boyfriend." Toph said as she smiled a little to her worried friend, though inside Toph was just as nervous as Katara if they'd even find him alive, or even find him at all. Both of them heard a loud bell from outside and someone screaming, they raised themselves from their seats as they got up to find out what it was, they got outside after rushing through what seemed like a sea of people running the same way as they did. As they got outside to see the forest leading up to the town was burning, luckily there was still time to save people since the fire hadn't reached the edge of the forest and town yet.

"Damn you fire nation!" An older man screamed waving his fist in the direction of the fire, before he was helped away by a few people.

Katara rushed forward, taking out her pouch of water, having it on standby should she need it, Katara stopped for a second, feeling a rather strong wind coming toward her and the city itself, she stopped Toph who was right next to her.

"You feel that?" Katara asked curiously, looking at the forest and the wind blowing over the threes.

"…Mhm, I do" Toph said cautiously as she dug her toes into the ground a little, searching for vibrations, she looked around as she whispered softly to herself;

"Twinkle toes..That you?" She looked straight ahead, feeling into the ground as she felt a strong wind coming towards them, even abit of dirt might be torn from the ground.

"Katara! Get away!" Toph yelled as she pushed Katara away rather harshly, but it was enough to get her away. Toph lifted her hands quickly, bending her fingers slowly till she made a fist, she lifted her foot slowly, wiggling her toes shortly until she slammed both her hands and her foot into the ground and a big stone wall rose from the ground and up.

**Authors note**:

**Finally! Finally! I did it! I made it! Yes, yes! Yes! It took me so damn, Jesus Christ long to even start this and write it. Gosh its good to have finally made it! Fuck yes! Oops sorry no swearing, but I'm just happy!**


	19. Small Town Woman

**Small town Woman**

Aang saw the ground raise itself into the air as she almost stopped in his tracks, instantly looking around for a way out as he leaped behind a tree, Aang sat down on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, his chest bouncing up and down like crazy. Aang grabbed his stomach as she slowly peaked his head out of from behind the tree only to quickly hide it away again, the fire nation soldiers were close but had also stopped to look at the wall that suddenly had raised itself, Aang took a soft step forward, due to his air bending training he was able to walk with very light feet, he look back, the soldiers were still busy and Aang wasn't about to waste any time waiting for them to start looking for him again.

Aang leaped behind another tree that was standing quite close to the other, he was nearing the wall now, he feet moved silent over the cold ground, but looking back seeing the fire that had started in the forest, he agreed with himself in that he probably had to get a move on.

Aang dashed through the trees as he stopped once again, this time he was right in front of the wall, he turned his head to the left, but before he could even start running again a side in the wall blew up, the fire nation soldiers stood still once again, The soldiers stood completely still, cautiously moving forward.

Toph stood firmly with her feet in the ground, as she lifted another rock, her fingers and hands were stretched as she took a hard step forward, nodding her head, as she sent her arms flying in a forward motion, the rock flew through the hole in the wall, knocking down in tree with its power, one of the fire soldiers was hit by a piece of rock that had been smashed off the giant rock Toph threw.

The soldier fell to the ground and Aang ducked himself under the pieces of rock that was shattering, as she turned and ran through the hole, as dust settled Katara and Toph saw Aang laying on the ground, exhausted by the looks, the fire nation soldiers were still not sure whether to stay put, or move forward.

For now they did nothing, and there were still dust blocking their sight, Katara rushed to Aang's side, helping him up, he could barely stand. But she finally got him to his feet, and helped him walk by having his arm over her shoulder.

He tried to speak, as he wasn't fully aware what was going on anymore, but Katara hushed him as she forced him to move faster, but yet, the fire nation soldiers didn't move, but returned to their base, expect from one soldier, who by order, followed Katara, Aang and Toph in their way back.

To Katara's and Toph's luck, Valerie's house wasn't far, and they hadn't been traveling for more than an afternoon., Aang finally muttered:

"C-can we…Stop just for a second?"

Katara nodded and slowed down, finally stopping and sitting Aang down, Toph folded her arms as she kept her feet firmly planted in the ground to listen for anything. His breath was unsettling heavy, and his body looked like it was just about to break down and collapse, Katara felt helpless, she didn't know what to do at this point, she softly placed her hand on her forehead, sighing deeply as she started to walk away from Aang and Toph, just standing abit for herself.

Toph slowly walked over to Aang, bending down and whispered to him.

"_Glad to have ya' back twinkle toes."_

Aang sort of stopped being concerned for anything just for a second and smiled. He was too tired to do anything else at this point though, so he just sat and enjoyed that.

Katara, after abit came back to the two, telling them that they should get going once more.

The all agreed on getting off their bums and get moving, and so they did, they walked the clear moonlit road towards Valerie's house, they saw the last light of the sun disappearing and the moon was lighting of the sky now.

After a few hours of walking they saw the lights of Valerie's hut, they all sighed in relief. Aang was now in Toph's arms, well, leaning on her, Toph found this in a strange way, enjoyable. She had had a smile on her face for the past hour now, Aang felt so warm, despite what he just went through. Valerie had spotted them in the distance from her window and stood on the porch to welcome them back, with a friendly wave.

"You two already back? Hurry up and get in here!" She yelled with a smile on her face

Katara and Toph came walking with Aang in their arms, both clearly looking abit tired, they didn't get any sleep due to what happened.

A whole day of walking and the surprise at the small town was hard for the two girls, but getting Aang was all worth it,


	20. There'll be days like this

**There'll be days like this**

Aang was back and was lying safe in Valerie's bed still he hadn't moved at all, lying perfectly still.

Toph was restless, she was tired, but hadn't slept since they got Aang home, she didn't do anything though, just walking around like she didn't care, trying to hide something, Katara was hunched over the kitchen table, fallen asleep there and stayed there all night, Sokka was at his daily healing with Valerie to help him be able to use his leg even sooner.

Valerie was getting nervous, in the night she had hear noises coming from the bushes and footsteps, whatever it was she didn't like it one bit.

Katara slowly opened her eyes she didn't get up though; her head was resting on her arm as she finally decided to get up and she stretched herself and feeling a pain in her back from being hunched over all night.

Toph had heard the noises too easily as well and she tried feeling out where they were going, but they were very light footed and it made it harder for her to feel them, she was never able to locate whatever it was.

Sokka came back from the healing session and was now able to walk without a crutch, he still limped away on the leg though. He had a smile on his face as he greeted his sister giving her a light hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad you got Aang back, I'm so proud of you sis." Sokka said stroking some hair away from Katara's face.

She only replied with a tight hug as a light sob every now and then, Sokka comforted her and gently rocking her back and forth in the hug to calm her down.

Toph had finally decided to come inside and didn't say a word even then, she was upset but why Katara couldn't really figure out what and yet she didn't ask, morning was slowly fading and the skies started clearing even more it was looking to be great weather today and sounds where now coming from Valerie's room, it was Aang.

"Ka-..Katara..? T-..Toph?" he asked almost half asleep, and all of them came rushing into Valerie's small bedroom. He looked around with a very confused look as he saw them come in to the room, he tried sitting up in bed yet failed.

He had hit his head when he fell on the ground rather hard it seemed too! All Aang saw were four fuzzy images of his friend's faces as he slowly lifted his hand looking it trying to reach out for anyone of them.

Surprisingly Toph was the one to grab his hand, giving it a squeeze before uttering words.

"It's good to have you back Twinkle toes." Toph said and smiled down at Aang, he didn't reply with words but with a gentle smile. The others couldn't help but smile too and agreed to go outside and give him some space maybe he just needed to sleep it off.

A few hours later Aang woke up to an empty house everything was quiet, not even the birds were peeping and the wind was still as well. Aang got up and stretched himself while he gave a big yawn. He finally got out of bed and scratched his neck before heading out of his small room. He looked wondering around the house he hadn't seen it before but he remembered being carried here vaguely.

It felt as if time itself had stopped when Aang walked around the house, everything was quiet and he couldn't find Toph, Sokka or Katara anywhere. He walked into the living room and heard for the first time the sound of someone else, it was Toph and she was singing.

"What the-..?" Aang said quietly to himself.

Aang walked so light even Toph didn't heard nor felt him coming into her room and standing in the doorway watching it with a slight smile on his face.

She was humming a tune that wasn't quite familiar to Aang's airbender ears, it sounded almost like a man was humming it, very deep and robust. Finally Toph stopped what she was doing and her ear twitched slightly, he almost froze completely and covered her face with her palm.

"How… Long have you been standing there?" She asked horrified.

With a gentle chuckle Aang said: "Long enough." That remark made Toph turn around to face Aang.

"Well I think we're done here, don't you?" Toph said as she tried to hurry past Aang, though Aang was fast enough to grab her by her shirt and pull her back.

"What was that song?" He asked looking quite puzzled as if he had heard it before.

"It's nothing special." Toph said quickly and brushed the back of her head gently. Not long after Aang let go of her with a smile and a nod.

"Alright then, I'm sorry to interrupt you in, whatever you were doing." Aang said smiling and went on his way again.

As Aang was gone Toph began singing to herself again:

"_In a land, far away from here, one can only thing of being near, all the time I think of you and me, all the time I long for that time with you, again."_

The rest she simply hummed to herself in a carefree manner as if all the troubles of the world had simply vanished, and actually after they had returned to Valerie's house everything simply seemed to be perfect, the fire nation never came this far around even with the cities nearby, Valerie's place was quite remote and no one ever came by, she always had to travel for an hour or so to come by any town where she did her shopping.

Katara was sitting in the garden enjoying a cup of tea with Sokka and the summer breeze softly came flying in to kiss them, Valerie was out and about in the city, shopping for dinner tonight. And Aang was simply walking around exploring the small house and its garden as well as the small forest surrounding it.

But this peace as not to last, Toph knew that for sure.

_**We are back ladies and gentlemen, with a new and slightly longer chapter than the normal ones but I wanted to get something done and just releasing 400 word chapters didn't seem to be doing much, plus it would add an unnecessary number of extra chapters which I've realized now.**_


	21. Days Gone By

**Day's gone bye**

The air was freezing and the wind was fair on board the ship, the crewmembers were in full swing manning their positions.

The Prince had gotten up of bed quite early today and left his uncle to sleep. The stepped out on the balcony to watch his men at work and it looked perfect like a well oiled machine, which this fine vessel already was in itself.

The prince Zuko was banished from his own homeland and doomed to forever search the earth for the Avatar. The prince's nights were haunted by memories from his past life in the fire nation, memories of his mother and his father, his horrible sister and her friends. He hated almost every one of them, yet he didn't. They were his family, how could he hate family? Yet they had hurt him time and time again, the only ones he didn't hate in anyway, was his uncle and his mother.

Iroh, his uncle or 'the dragon of the west' as he was called by some soldiers, were the only one close to him, and the only supporter of Zuko, throughout his childhood along with his mother.

"I hate mornings." Zuko said with clenched teeth as he stood on the balcony.

"It's not so bad." Said an old voice from behind and a heartily chuckle accompanied the statement.

Zuko turned around to see his smiling uncle Iroh with a cup of tea in his hand he walked up and stood next to the young prince.

"Why are you up this early? You usually aren't up till noon." Iroh said with a grin.

"I have some things growing on my mind." Zuko said quietly.

Iroh said nothing but took a sip of his tea as he could see this was a sore subject for Zuko to talk about at this time, so he decided to leave it alone for now. Zuko's ship was nearing land he wanted to restock his supplies and perhaps give his men a little freedom from the ship, which they all sorely needed. After a few hours they docked their ship and finally stepped foot on land for nearly a month and both Zuko, Iroh and the crew all needed a few nights to relax.

Evening soon came, Zuko and Iroh found an inn to have a meal and rest; they both sat down at a table in the corner and started to talk.

"It's nice here, isn't it?" Iroh asked as he waved the waiter over and ordered a cup of tea.

"I guess." Zuko said in a quiet voice, giving the waiter a small wave gesture as if he didn't want anything.

"One could make a life here, wouldn't you agree?" Iroh said, giving Zuko a slight smirk, almost putting the words into his mouth.

"One could." Zuko said, obliviously not really feeling very talkative.

"Settle down, meet a nice girl, buy a house and start a family that sounds wonderful don't it?" Iroh says not giving up on trying to persuade Zuko.

"One such as you could do that uncle, and you're more than welcome to do so if you do no longer wish to take part in my quest." Zuko said with crossed arms and keeping his glare at Iroh as he receives his tea and sips it.

Iroh gives a sigh of irritation and waves his hand loosely at Zuko as if he were saying 'forget it'. Zuko seemed pleased with his uncles constant pestering about settling down finally stopped and he stood up giving Iroh a subtle smile and walked away to his room, in his room Zuko went to his bed and sat down and took a deep breath, he finally laid down and fell asleep steadily.

Iroh was still sitting in his chair in the inn while sipping his tea as he heard someone from the side.

"Your son doesn't seem to be in a very good mood." A young girl said with a smile.

With a heartily chuckle Iroh answered: "Oh, he is not my son, he's my nephew." The girl cracked a smile and went on her way.

_In another location not very far from Zuko and his uncle where Aang and his friends in Valerie's house, none of them aware of how close they were to each other._

As the sun rose the next day so did Zuko and he woke up as if he was the only one awake in the entire town around the harbour, he got up quite quickly and got his clothes on as well before heading outside as he came outside a warm wind greeted him and a sharp morning sun, he quickly put on his hat and had a walk around town and as he walked he could feel that today was a good day, perhaps he would accomplish something today other than sailing around and having a rest in a new harbour, he sorely wanted to return to his homeland a hero with the Avatar in his possession how long his search would be he did not know.


End file.
